Three in One
by memarkw
Summary: Something interferes with realities and Buffy and friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?
1. Chapter One An Epilogue

Title - Three in One  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memark@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel  
and a challenge from Jenn. I make no profit whatsoever  
from this and do it only for my own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
no major spoilers involved.  
  
Rating - PG  
  
Note - I do poke fun at those of us who spend way too much  
time in our own little fantasy worlds, putting them on  
paper or computer. Absolutely no offense is intended. If  
you are offended, you are taking this stuff way too  
serious.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
EPILOGUE  
--------  
THE EDGE  
  
  
He stood on the edge. Of course, it wasn't an edge  
that was visible to the human eye. Or any other eye for  
that matter. He could see it. Well, naturally he could  
see it - that's why he stood on it. It was an odd sight -  
this being in its' bright red wig, the floopy (yes,floopy,  
not floppy. Floppy is a misuse as he would be the first  
to tell you) shoes, and a handful of balloons.   
  
I know what you're thinking. Not thinking, but  
visualizing in your minds eye. A clown. A clown standing  
on the edge. Mankind tends to think of parallel universes  
as a thing of science fiction. Alternate universes that  
often end up being written about by second rate fan  
fiction writers. You've read them. Those people that  
work full time, go to school full time, raise kids full  
time, and then sit down to write and wonder why they can't  
be published. They see an episode of their favorite show,  
don't like the outcome, and write their own little piece  
of fiction to make things right. They call that AU.   
That's not AU. They have no idea.  
  
AU, parallel universe, alternate reality - call it  
what you will. In reality, we do not live in a universe.   
We live in a multiverse. There was a time when the  
multiverse was created. Granted, it was an accident.   
That's a different story, though. When this multiverse  
was created, each one had the exact same inhabitants  
living an identical life. There came a time when one  
version of a man chose something different from that of  
his mirror self. From that one action, chaos was created.  
Created, yet contained. For millenia of millenia, this  
controlled chaos rested on the edge, separating these  
realities. Until the clown appeared.   
  
We speak of gods. That is the closest we can come to  
understanding what this clown is. He's not a god - and  
yes I just changed tenses, but this god, or The Clown,  
enables us to do that - but imagine him as such. He  
discovered the chaos. With a twitch of a finger, he was  
able to disturb the chaos. A rift of sorts - an anomaly?  
- was created. Finding that he could do this brought him  
great joy. Thus, it starts.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Buffy Summers sat in front of the computer screen.   
She knew that this was a bad idea, but hey, even a slayer  
needed love. Not just sex - Spike - but love. This is a  
bad idea, she thought. She hit the enter button and  
waited.   
  
NO MATCHES WERE FOUND  
  
She couldn't believe her eyes! This was a personals  
site, where were the persons? Hearing the front door  
open, she turned off the laptop and jumped up.  
  
Dawn looked happy. That was good. Wait. Yes, that  
was good. Had it been Tuesday, it would have been bad.   
Tuesday this was not.   
  
"Dawnie? You look chipper. What's up?"  
  
Dawn stopped her little skip step and looked at her  
sister. A guilty look crossed her face. "Oh, nothing."  
  
"Come on, Dawn. No more secrets, remember?"  
  
The teen sighed. "I have a boyfriend. Look, I know  
and I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to happen, I just turned  
the corner and he was there and he told me he was waiting  
for me and I asked him why and he said-"  
  
"Dawn! Slow down, breathe. Why do you act like  
that's a bad thing to tell me?"  
  
"Well, you know. You're a woman and women have  
needs. I know you haven't...well, you know...since Spike  
and-"  
  
"Dawn! Again, breathe. First of all, my...um, you  
know...is not your concern. Second of all, you shouldn't  
be thinking about you know either."  
  
Dawn blushed. "Buffy, I'm sixteen. Of course I  
think about it! Doesn't mean I'm going to do it. I know  
all the consequences. Don't worry about it. It's just  
nice to have someone like me."  
  
The Slayer nodded. "Yeah. I remember those days."  
  
"You do? I mean, you do! Angel and Riley and...  
um... and-"  
  
"Before all-" she made a sweeping gesture with her  
arms -"this. I was a normal kid once. Did I ever tell  
you about Pike?"  
  
"Spike? Tell me what?"  
  
"Not Spike - Pike. It was when I first found out  
about slaying."  
  
The sisters sat on the couch and Buffy told the story  
of her first real boyfriend.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
  
The blonde turned quickly and drove the spike through  
the chest of the nearest vampire. Before it turned to  
dust, she was already on the next creature. A few minutes  
later, she packed up the weapons that had been spilt from  
her bag and went on her way.  
  
Twenty minutes later, the blonde climbed the steps of  
the Cincinatti Inn to her grungy room. When she opened  
the door, she sensed him.   
  
"I told you not to come here. If you want to talk to  
me, just leave a message. I don't want to work for you,  
with you, under you, against you, or anything else you. I  
kill the things, you tell your bosses they're dead,  
remember? Now, leave!"  
  
The scary looking Englishman stood up. "Now, Buffy,  
be a good girl. We need to talk."  
  
"Talk. Quick. You have about 30 seconds before I  
kick your ass."  
  
"You're free from me."  
  
She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. A  
million questions went through her mind. She asked the  
first one that came out. "Huh?"  
  
"Apparently, you're needed elsewhere. Some little  
town in California. Sunnydale. Something about a  
hellmouth and a vampire abundance."  
  
Buffy Summers sighed. From Bad to Worse.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
THE WORSE  
  
Faith jumped over the thing that was running at her.   
Damn Buffy for leaving! There was no way she could keep  
up with all these things. She ran. When she managed to  
escape, she found a nice dry dumpster and crawled into it.  
  
  
The Slayer didn't know how it could be any worse than  
this. Two years ago, she had been a happy, pampered teen.  
That was before her father's company started playing with  
the supernatural. Before her parents fell victim to the  
supernatural. When she met Buffy Summers, she thought  
things might get a little better. The story about the  
Slayer was fascinating. How she ended up here, Buffy  
dying and being resuscitated by Jesse, she herself being  
called as a slayer - it all still astounded her at times.   
Every day she thought life couldn't be worse. Every day  
she was proven wrong. First, the vampire that used to be  
Jesse's friend had turned Giles into a vampire. Then,  
Giles had managed to turn Wesley into a vamp. When that  
happened, Buffy ran away.   
  
Faith had no idea where where Buffy was. She would  
have liked to kill her, or ar least track her down and  
drag her back here to help. If Xander tried to attack her  
just one more time, she was going to dust him, regardless  
of what Jesse said. Poor Jesse. He probably had it worse  
than she did. He'd watched Xander die. He'd watched  
Xander turn that red haired girl. He'd watched Xander  
kill his parents. If Faith hadn't showed up when she did,  
Xander would have gotten Jesse. As it was, she'd had to  
dust the girl Jesse said was called Willow. Apparently,  
there were a great many teens being killed. Who could  
have ever imagined that years ago this had been a normal  
country?   
  
She thought again of her dad. His company had found  
that a vampires blood could heal. Forget the nasty little  
side effect of having to be a vamp for it to actually do  
any healing. She never shared the fact that it was partly  
her dad's doing that the country was over run with the  
undead now. The undead population outnumbered the living.  
Before the government fell, there had been research to  
find out how to stop it. Research that was forever lost.  
  
Jesse said that he knew in his heart that he could  
return Xander's soul to him. It had worked for Buffy's  
old boyfriend - for about two seconds. He had come  
looking for Buffy after being bitten, and feeding in  
return, by that Chase girl. When he tricked Dawn into  
inviting him into the house, Jesse had managed to use the  
spell to give the soul back to Angel. Immediately, Angel  
knew what he was, what he had done, grabbed a wooden spoon  
and drove it into his own heart.  
  
Still, that didn't deter Jesse. He was convinced he  
could help Xander. They'd been "Buds" their entire life.   
Faith knew it could never happen the way Jesse wanted it,  
but she could let the thing live as long as Jesse was by  
her side.  
  
It wasn't fair. Life was wrong. It shouldn't be  
this way. She felt a tear fall. She quickly brushed it  
away and climbed out of her hiding spot. Heading for the  
abandoned house that the Summers had used to live in, she  
thought about how life could have been if her dad hadn't  
tried to play God.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
The Clown laughed. He reached out and plucked at the  
chaos. To his delight, a small hole appeared. Oh, the  
joy! He could see the realities start to mingle. This  
was going to be great! 


	2. Chapter Two

Title - Three in One  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memark@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel,  
Q-Squared by Peter David, and a challenge from Jenn. I  
make no profit whatsoever from this and do it only for my  
own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
no major spoilers involved.  
  
Rating - PG  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
The Clown was having fun. Seeing the Chaos leak was  
the most fun it'd had in a long time. He had managed to  
rip Chaos. Watching the result, he put his fingers in and  
pulled it open a little more.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Xander knocked on the door again. He knew Buffy was  
home. He could hear her in there talking. He was about  
to knock on the window, as he looked in, and stopped cold.  
It looked like the place had been trashed. It was dark.   
He saw movement. A closer look revealed-  
  
He stopped and backed up. No freaking way! He wiped  
his eyes, shook his head and looked again. There was  
nothing but Buffy and Dawn sitting on the sofa. Nothing  
was out of place.   
  
"Ok. There's a simple explanation for what I just  
saw. I have no idea what in the hell it is, but I'm sure  
there is one."   
  
Thinking he had just seen Jesse in Buffy's house  
really rattled his nerves.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
  
Buffy climbed the steps of the house. The man who  
called himself Giles had told her she could stay here.   
Apparently, she had really pissed off that red haired  
vampire. She hadn't done anything to her, but the vampire  
was pissed. Giles and Buffy had been talking when the  
vampire walked into the room. Giles was instantly on his  
feet.  
  
"Relax, Englishman. I'm not here to fight. I heard  
there was a slay-"  
  
She stopped when she saw Buffy. "You."  
  
Before Buffy could reply, the vampire - Giles said  
her name was Willow - changed into her game face.   
  
"You sent me back here. You couldn't leave it  
alone."  
  
Buffy looked from Willow to Giles, then back to  
Willow. "I don't know who in the hell you are. Now, you  
know I'm the Slayer, and I know you're a vampire. Two  
plus two still equals four, so I guess that means I'm  
supposed to dust you."  
  
Giles held Buffy back.  
  
"I'll see you again, Slayer. Pretend all you want,  
but you're going to pay. I could have had a lot of fun  
with Red."  
  
Buffy tried again to go after the vampire, but Giles  
wouldn't let go.  
  
"What the hell's wrong with you? I came here to kill  
those things!"  
  
"I know. There's some history with that one. She-  
she used to be a friend."  
  
"Used to be. Now she's a vamp and vamps die. What  
part of that don't you get?"  
  
"No. That one doesn't die yet. She's as close to  
civil as we get with them here. Occasionally, we're able  
to get some information from her. It would seem that in  
some other world, we didn't kill her and she feels she has  
to repay that. A vampire with morals. Of sorts. Odd."  
  
"Huh? Another world? Like a soap opera? Because  
that's what it sounds like to me. A make believe story."  
  
"I know. I know. As long as she's of use, we'll let  
her live."  
  
"If you say so. But I'm telling you, if she looks at  
me funny, she goes."  
  
Giles nodded. "Understood."  
  
Now, standing in the doorway of the house, she  
wondered if she had done the right thing by coming here.   
She knew it was bad, but not this bad. She turned the  
corner into what used to be a living room and saw a  
teenager sitting on a couch.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry. Someone told me-"  
  
The girl was gone. So was the couch.  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
"BUFFY!"  
  
The elder Summers ran into the room. "Dawnie?   
What's wrong?"  
  
The teen was about to tell Buffy what she thought  
she'd seen. When she had looked up, she'd seen Buffy  
in the door. A very blonde Buffy. With scars. And not  
knowing Dawn. Apologizing. Thinking about it, Dawn knew  
how odd it sounded and figured it must be because she was  
tired - she was seeing things.  
  
"Nothing."   
  
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Dawn  
looked out the window to find Xander standing there.  
  
"I just wanted to let you know Xander's here."  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
THE WORSE  
  
Jesse was reading one of the books he'd found in the  
library of the old school building. He never did  
understand why Mr. Giles had kept these books, but they  
did come in handy quite often. In the middle of a spell  
to ward off counter-spells, he felt something. It was  
something strong. He looked around, not sure why he felt  
so uncomfortable. He felt as though he was being watched.  
He felt like Xander was near. Just as quickly as the  
feeling had come over him, it left.  
  
"What's the what?"  
  
Jesse looked over at Faith, who had been sleeping in  
one of the chairs they'd scavaged.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Thinking of him again, aren't you?"  
  
"No," he lied.  
  
"J, come on. Don't lie to me. You were. What's  
up?"  
  
"It's hard Faith. It's so hard. You don't know. I  
can talk about it to you till I'm blue in the face, but I  
can't make you understand. I know to you he's just a  
vampire waiting to be dusted, but to me he was blood. He  
was my soul mate. I know that sounds really gay, y'know?   
And it wasn't like that, but we were more than friends.   
We knew each others thoughts, we sensed each other.   
That's what being together every day of your life does, I  
guess. Y'know? No. You don't know."  
  
His voice broke.  
  
"It's hard Faith, I miss him every freaking day and  
it hurts. I know in my heart we have to kill him. He's  
one of the more powerful ones out there, turning people  
everyday. And it kills me to think about it."  
  
The Slayer stood up and walked over to him. She sat  
on his lap and put her arms around him.   
  
"I know, baby. You're right. I can't understand it.  
I've never had any kind of friends, much less a friend  
like that. But I can see how much it hurts you, and that  
hurts me. I won't dust him. Not until you tell me it's  
time."  
  
"I feel like he's watching me sometimes."  
  
"Jess, he probably is watching you. It wouldn't  
surprise me if he was across the street waiting for you to  
come out unprepared. He can't wait to turn you."  
  
"If that happens-"  
  
"I will."  
  
"You will what?"  
  
They both jumped when they heard the third voice.   
  
Xander was standing there watching them.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Buffy and Dawn looked at Xander, just standing there.  
He seemed to be in a daze. Then he spoke.  
  
"You will what?"  
  
Buffy touched Xander on the shoulder. "Xander?"  
  
He jerked, as though he had been shocked. "What?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "You just asked if I will what? What  
what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. What?"  
  
"Wait. What did I say?"  
  
"You said 'You will what?'."  
  
"Oh. I think I was day dreaming. I could have sworn  
I just saw Jesse sitting there with Faith in his lap. She  
told him she would do something. I guess I was talking to  
her, not you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm tired guys. That's why I came over. I wanted  
to tell you I wasn't up to going out with you guys  
tonight."  
  
Dawn went to him and took his hand. "Xander, come  
on. You've been like this since Anya left. You have to  
get back to normal."  
  
He snorted. "Normal? In Sunnydale? The place where  
one second you and your best bud are laughing and the next  
he's a vampire? The place where a guy leaves his demon  
bride at the altar because the monster his dad was is  
worse than the monster that his fiancee was? The place  
where the ex-bride-to-be kills twelve guys and then brings  
them back before she walks away forever? Oh, ok. I'll  
get back to normal."  
  
Before either girl could say anything, he turned and  
walked out. Dawn made a move to stop him, but Buffy held  
her back.   
  
"Dawn, let him go. He needs time for himself. He's  
hurting. There's nothing we can do for him right now."  
  
Dawn sighed. She knew her sister was right, but it  
didn't make it better.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
This was fun. What happens if the hole gets a little  
bigger?  
-------------------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
  
Giles felt it. He didn't know how or why, but he  
knew something wasn't right. He'd given thought to  
Willow's claims of visiting another dimension. He sighed.  
He couldn't stop thinking of her as Willow. She would  
have to die sometime, but until he was able to get past  
her being Willow, it wasn't going to happen.  
  
He had a feeling. Almost like knowing you were late  
for something without actually knowing what time it was.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
THE WORSE  
  
As quick as they they were surprised, Xander was  
gone.  
  
"Did you-"  
  
"Yeah, he wasn't-"  
  
"No, he was-"  
  
"Alive."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
  
Giles went to the library. No one used the school  
anymore, and most of his books were useless. Still, it  
brought him some peace. This was where he felt closest to  
Jenny.  
  
He heard a noise and was about to investigate when  
the doors swung open, almost as if in slow motion.  
  
His heart missed a beat when he saw who it was.  
  
It was Wesley. A vampire Wesley. His first thought  
was that Angel hadn't told him that Wesley had left, nor  
that he was now a vampire. His second thought was that he  
himself should not be standing behind Wesley in full  
vampire face.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
"It's not good you know. No good at all. Might be  
good for you, it might, but it's not good. Stop it."  
  
He stood up straight. "Bloody, bleeding nutter.   
That's what I am you know."  
  
"I know, I know. Nutters. We're nutters. This is  
bad. Bad, bad clown."  
  
"Bad clown. When I stop talking to myself, I'll tell  
the Slayer."  
  
"Tell the Slayer we will."  
  
He stopped moving and look straight into nothing. He  
could see it.  
  
"You're a bad, bad clown you are. The Slayer won't  
like it. The Witch won't like it."  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
The Clown paused. Had the insane vampire actually  
been talking to him? To the Clown? It wasn't possible.   
Pish posh, no time for such matters. The game was just  
starting. Pulling on one of the realities, he chuckled as  
more of it spilled out.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
THE BAD  
THE WORSE  
  
Spike screamed. It hurt.  
Spike screamed. It hurt.  
Spike giggled. "No, they won't be pleased at all." 


	3. Chapter Three

Title - Three in One Pt.3  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memark@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel,  
Q-Squared by Peter David, and a challenge from Jenn. I  
make no profit whatsoever from this and do it only for my  
own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
no major spoilers involved.  
  
Rating - PG  
--------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
  
Giles blinked. Why did people always blink when they  
couldn't believe what they were seeing? He blinked again.  
Mind you, this all happened in a fraction of a second.   
He had almost no time to duck before the vampire Wesley  
was over the counter. He managed to throw Price off  
balance. Unfortunately, concentrating on Wesley left  
Giles open for attack from...Giles.  
  
Vamp Giles grabbed his counterpart by the neck and  
threw him across the room. He blinked. Why did people  
always blink when they couldn't believe what they were  
seeing? He blinked again. The man he had just thrown  
across the room had disappeared. He wasn't missing. He  
had literally disappeared. One instant he was in mid-air,  
the next instant he hasn't in mid-air anymore. He wasn't  
anywhere anymore.  
  
---------------------------------  
THE WORSE  
  
Giles fell to the ground. Once he got his bearings,  
he realized he wasn't in Oz anymore. Rubbish. This  
wasn't the time to be silly. He realized he wasn't in his  
library anymore. He could see that he was near the high  
school, but something was wrong. There were usually a few  
vampires in sight at this hour of night, but this was  
insane. They were everywhere. Almost as if they belonged  
there with no worries of being slayed. He was ready to  
run when he realized that not only weren't they bothering  
him, they were avoiding him.  
  
Of course! He had just been attacked by...himself.   
That version of Giles had to come from somewhere. However  
the other Giles had ended up in his library, he had ended  
up in the homeworld of the other Giles! He immediately  
thought of the demon that he had thwarted years ago. A  
vengeance demon had been playing with alternate realities.  
What Willow had been saying made sense now. If they ever  
found a way to return Willow to their side, he would be  
tempted to kiss her. For now though, he needed to find  
Buffy. Assuming there was a Buffy here.  
----------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Xander missed Jesse. He was tired of acting like  
nothing bothered him. He wanted Jesse back. He wanted  
Anya back. He wanted them now!  
  
He staggered. Woooaaahhh. Dizzy much? He closed  
his eyes and put his hands on his knees.  
  
---------------------------------------  
THE WORSE  
  
Xander opened his eyes. He shouldn't have stormed  
out of the house like that. He turned around and headed  
back.  
  
----------------------------------------  
THE BAD  
  
"Well."  
  
Wesley stood up and looked at Rupert. "Well? Well,  
what?"  
  
"Somehow, I think we've ended up a different realm of  
reality."  
  
"Good lord. Realm of reality? Rupert, you have to  
quit talking like a damned scholar! You're a vampire.   
Talk like a vampire."  
  
"Now listen here. Just because you seem to have lost  
all sense of decorum when you joined us doesn't mean we  
all have to do so. We are in a different realm of  
reality."  
  
"Yes? Well."  
  
"Precisely."  
--------------------------------------------  
THE GOOD  
  
Willow walked in without knocking. She was glad  
things were more like normal now. She didn't like things  
being all tense and stuff.  
  
Dawn hurried in. "Xander? Oh. Hi Willow."  
  
"Uh, hi?"  
  
"Sorry. Xander was here and he got upset and left.   
Buffy went out to talk to him and she can't find him. I  
was hoping you were him."  
  
"Ahhh. Nope just innocent little me."  
  
"Yeah. What's up?"  
  
"Up? Just came to say hi. Oh. Hi Faith. What are  
you doing here?"  
  
Dawn spun on her heel. There was no one behind her.   
"Willow, I'm not Faith."  
  
"Dawn! Go to your room. Lock the door, sit on your  
bed and don't open it until I come tell you it's ok to  
come out. Don't open the door for anyone but me."  
  
"What? Are you ok? Go to my room?"  
  
"Dawn, do what I said. Don't argue with me. I'll  
explain later!"  
  
"Good grief. Go to my room, lock the door, and don't  
tell come out until you tell me to? Want to give me a  
safe word so I know it's really you?"  
  
"Yeah. Lamp post."  
  
"Willow, I was joking. I'm not going to my-" She  
saw the look in Willow's eyes. "I mean, I'm going. Make  
it quick, ok?"  
  
"As quick as I can, but Dawnie, no matter how long it  
takes, you have to swear not to open the door until I give  
you the word!"  
  
"Ok, ok, I promise, but it better be good."  
  
Waiting until she heard the door lock behind Dawn  
upstairs, she looked around the house. She'd better tell  
Buffy what she thought was happening. She went to the  
door and opened it.   
  
"Hi, Red. You're sexier than I remember. Give me a  
hug."  
  
"Back off. I need your help." Willow ran down the  
porch steps, Vampire Willow two steps behind her.  
  
----------------------------------------  
THE WORSE  
  
Xander opened the door to the house and knew it  
wasn't right. For one thing, Faith was in the room. She  
wasn't happy. She was telling someone that she swore she  
had just seen Willow, normal Willow, in the house. Xander  
stepped around the corner to ask Buffy what was going on.   
He didn't ask the question for two reasons.   
  
One, it wasn't Buffy in the room.   
  
Two, Jesse had him by the throat with a large metal  
cross between them, pushing him backwards.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
The Clown paused. For a fleeting instant, he  
experienced dread. He shrugged and started playing with  
Chaos again.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
THE BAD  
THE WORSE  
  
"Oh, I know, I know. It's not good. I know, I  
know." Far below the remains of the school, Spike rocked  
back and forth.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Willow and Willow found Spike in the basement of the  
high school. She knew Buffy had told Spike to find  
another place to hide, but she didn't have time to  
question him about it.  
  
"You can feel it, can't you Spike?"  
  
"Ah, it's the Reds. I can feel it." He giggled.   
"I'm not the only one."  
  
Vamp Willow grabbed Spike by his collar. "Are you  
nuts everywhere? Come on sexy, get a grip. Red here  
thinks we need your help."  
  
Willow sighed. "Let him go."  
  
Vamp Willow let go of Spike. "Now what? You're a  
powerful one. Is that what I would have been if he hadn't  
turned me?"  
  
"Look, I don't know what might have been. I need to  
know what's going on where you came from."  
  
"What do you mean? I'm single, looking-"  
  
"Stop it! Something is happening and we have to stop  
it! I need to know what's causing it!"  
  
Spike giggled. "It's Chaos."  
  
"Yes, I know Spike. I need to find out what's  
causing the chaos."  
  
"No luv, Chaos."  
  
She sighed and turned back to her other self.   
"Please. Has anything unusual happened in your Sunnydale  
lately?"  
  
"No. Unless you mean the Clown."  
  
Spike screamed in pain. "No, I didn't tell them!   
Make it stop!"  
  
Willow ran to Spike. She gently put her hands on his  
face. "Spike? Spike, look at me. It's going to be ok."  
  
"Tell me. Please, please tell me it's going to be  
ok."  
  
"It is Spike, it is."  
  
He pulled free. "No! Tell me! All of me!"  
  
Willow looked into his eyes. "Spike. Can you talk  
to yourself? Those of you in other places? Spike? I  
need you. We all need you. Please, talk to me."  
  
Before he passed out, he groaned.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
THE WORSE  
  
Xander pushed the other man off of him. He had a  
little help. Faith had grabbed Jesse and was pulling him  
back.  
  
"Jesse, stop! That's not him!"  
  
"Don't tell me it's not him! I know it's him!"  
  
"No, it's not. He can't get in here. He wasn't  
invited."  
  
Xander gathered himself. Invited? Like a vamp?   
"You think I'm a vampire? Jesse? You're a vampire!   
Only...Except you're holding that cross! What's going  
on?"  
  
Jesse looked down at the cross he was holding. He  
held it out to Xander, who took it and held it to his  
chest.  
  
"Xander?"  
  
"Yeah. It's me. It's me. And you're you?"  
  
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be me? I'm not the one that  
got bit, y'know?"  
  
"Oh my God. Jesse. I missed you." Xander took a  
step back. "This is wrong! You're dead! And you-" he  
pointed at Faith, "-you're in prison."  
  
Faith stepped next to Jesse, who had tears streaming  
down his face. "Look, something isn't right here. I'll  
give you that. But whatever it is, it got you guys back  
together. I'm not in prison, which you can explain later,  
Jesse's not dead, you're not dead. Now get over the manly  
macho guy thing and hug already. We can figure this out  
later."  
  
That was all it took. Not knowing who hugged first,  
the two men fell into an embrace that no one could have  
broken. Both were crying and they held on to each other  
as though their life depended on it.  
  
Which, none of them realized yet, could very well be  
the case.  
-----------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
The Clown didn't like the way things were turning.   
He had been controlling the Chaos, and now he didn't have  
the control anymore. All he could do now was stand back  
and wait and watch. 


	4. Chapter Four

Title - Three in One pt 4  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memark@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel  
and a challenge from Jenn. I make no profit whatsoever  
from this and do it only for my own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
no major spoilers involved. I did alter the end of one  
episode so that Vamp Willow isn't dust.  
  
Rating - PG  
------------------  
THE BAD  
  
Buffy shook her head. She really needed sleep. She was  
seeing things. She was just about to head up the stairs  
to find a bed when there was a knock at the door. She  
opened it and was surprised to see Giles and another man  
standing there.   
  
"Giles? What's up? I thought you were going to do more  
of that research."  
  
The man looked startled to see her. He quickly composed  
himself. "Yes, well, something...came up. Can we come  
in?"  
  
"I was just going to get some sleep. Is it important?   
And who's that?" she asked, gesturing with her chin to  
vamp Pryce."  
  
"Hmm? Oh, this is Wesley Windham Pryce. Never met him, I  
suppose. Just the same. Can we come in?"  
  
"Is it important?"  
  
Buffy heard a growl. She realized it had come from the  
man called Pryce. She stepped back when she noticed a  
ridge appear on his brow. She immediately slammed the  
door.   
  
"What the hell is going on around here?" She sat on the  
bottom step of the stairs. Hearing footsteps, she looked  
up. For a moment she felt dizzy. Shaking it off, she  
stood. She didn't know how, or from where, but there were  
people in the house. The hadn't seen her yet. Across the  
room, two men were hugging and crying and a dark haired  
woman had her hand on their shoulders.  
---------------------------------------------------  
THE EDGE  
  
The clown reached out and grabbed some Chaos. With all  
his might, he squeezed.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
THE WORSE  
  
Xander felt dizzy again. As much as he wanted to believe  
he was standing here holding Jesse, he knew it had to be a  
dream. He knew if he opened his eyes after the dizziness  
passed, he would be back in Buffy's house without Jesse  
here. Without Faith here. He opened his eyes.  
  
Not only were Jesse and Faith still here, Buffy was  
sitting on the stairs watching them.  
----------------------------------------------------  
THE BAD  
  
Now they noticed her.  
----------------------------------------------------  
THE WORSE  
  
Giles put his hands on his knees. He was dizzy. When it  
had passed, he stood up. This was all wrong. He knew he  
was home again -home as in his own reality- but at the  
same time he wasn't.  
----------------------------------------------------  
THE BAD  
THE WORSE  
  
Vamp Giles grabbed his head. Pryce did the same. They  
knew they were back where they came from, but they also  
knew they weren't.  
-----------------------------------------------------  
THE GOOD  
  
Spike awoke sith a start and screamed.  
  
Willow and Willow held on to him as he started to thrash.   
When he didn't calm, Willow muttered under her breath.  
  
"Peace be still."  
  
Instantly, Spike stopped moving. "Now that's a handy  
spell, Red."  
  
"Spike! What's happening?"  
  
"Talk to us, Blondie."  
  
Spike looked from one Willow to the other. "I've heard  
about you. The vamp. The bloody dyke."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry, Red. No offense. Not to you anyway."  
  
"Spike, just tell us what's happening. You're there,  
aren't you?"  
  
"There? I suppose I am. Odd, isn't it? I can feel  
myself there and there. I know I'm here, but I know I'm  
there. If I wasn't nutters before, I will be when this is  
over - if we're still around."  
  
"What's this Spike? Please. Quit wasting time and tell  
me."  
  
"Why, Red, haven't you figured it out? No, I suppose you  
haven't. You haven't seen a certain vengeance demon since  
this started, have you?"  
  
"A veng- Anya? Anya did this?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
Willow grabbed the hand of her vampire counterpart and  
looked up. "Vengeance without power."  
  
When she looked back at Spike, she saw Anya standing  
behind him. Only it wasn't the Anya she knew. It wasn't  
the Anya she had come to love like a sister. It was an  
Anya of another reality and she had a dagger in hand.   
Before Willow could move, Anyanka plunged the dagger  
through Spike's heart from behind.  
  
Before he turned to dust, Spike whispered to her. "You  
can undo it, Red." With a smile like she had never seen  
from him, Spike's turned to dust and fell to the floor.  
  
She looked at Anyanka, who was moving forward with the  
dagger. "Hold."  
  
The vengeance demon froze in place. Willow took the  
dagger from Anyanka and drove it into the heart of the  
demon. When the Anyanka she never knew fell to the  
ground, Willow again took the vamp's hand and looked  
skyward. "Vengeance without power."  
  
This time nothing happened.  
  
"Um, Red? The last time you said that, we got that  
monster. How do you know it won't happen again?"  
  
Anya appeared in front of them - n Anya with vampire  
fangs. Willow used the same dagger and forced it into the  
unsuspecting demon's heart.  
  
"I don't. I'll kill everyone of them until I get the one  
I'm looking for."   
------------------------------------------  
THE BAD  
THE WORSE  
  
Faith made a move towards Buffy.  
  
Xander grabbed her. "That's not Buffy. Look at her."  
  
Faith did. It looked like Buffy, but there was no sense  
of determination. There was a scar on the girl's face.   
Yet, she knew this was her peer. "Buffy? My God, what's  
happened to you? Where did you go? What are you doing  
here?"  
  
Buffy stood up. "Do I know you? I know that's Xander. I  
don't know who that is," she pointed to Jesse,"but I want  
to know now, and I want to know how you got into my  
house."  
  
Jesse turned. "Chaos."  
----------------------------------------  
THE BAD   
THE WORSE  
  
Spike cried.  
Spike screamed.  
----------------------------------------  
THE GOOD  
  
Willow looked at the second corpse. She had meant it.   
She would kill every Anya she summoned until she got the  
one she was looking for. This would be made right. 


	5. Chapter Five

Title - Three in One Pt 5  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memarkw@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel  
  
and a challenge from Jenn. I make no profit whatsoever  
  
from this and do it only for my own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
  
no major spoilers involved.  
  
Rating - PG  
  
----------------  
  
CHAOS  
  
Rupert Giles looked at the old building that used to house  
  
his library. He wasn't sure what he was seeing. It was  
  
in ruins, but at the same time, he could see it standing  
  
in complete form. It looked like someone had taken a  
  
"before" picture and laid it over a more pronounced  
  
"after" picture to make the contrast obvious. He walked  
  
toward the structure, hoping to find answers. If his  
  
hunch was correct, they were facing Chaos. He wasn't sure  
  
exactly what it was, but he remembered having read about  
  
it once. He had to find that book.  
  
Dawn closed her eyes and tried to sleep.  
  
Buffy ran back towards her house. She wanted to find   
  
Xander, but she had to be sure Willow and Dawn were  
  
alright. As she approached her home, she stopped short.   
  
It wasn't right. It was still her house, but it was  
  
blurry - almost like a double exposure. One was a dirty,  
  
worn out house. The other was her house. She walked  
  
slowly to the front door and pushed it open.  
  
Willow tried to push the demon that was Anyanka away from   
  
her, but she had been taken by surprise. It looked like   
  
this was one fight she was going to lose. She tried to   
  
speak a word, but the demon was crushing her vocal cords.   
  
As she started to fade away, regretting having ever  
  
started this, Anya went limp. She let go of her grip and  
  
fell to the side, away from Willow. Willow looked up to  
  
see Vamp Willow holding the dagger she herself had used  
  
earlier.   
  
"Thanks. We need to get to the library."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
THE EDGE  
  
It spoke. "No."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
CHAOS  
  
Willow spoke. "As we once met, let's meet once more."  
  
Vamp Willow looked at her. "I felt that. What did you do  
  
to me?"  
  
"I called anyone who could and would help us. The library  
  
has to be the one place we would all know. We can't fix  
  
this on our own. We need help."  
  
-----  
  
Buffy shook her head. Jesse and Xander both took a step   
  
towards the door. Faith was about to ask Buffy if she was  
  
ok when she felt it. She needed to get to the school   
  
library. She wasn't sure why, and the place was a pile of  
  
rubble, but she knew she needed to be there. Before she  
  
could speak, the door pushed open. Buffy stepped in. The  
  
Buffy she knew.  
  
-----  
  
Buffy felt faint. It was too much for her mind to handle.  
  
There was Xander. And Jesse. And Faith. And herself.  
  
Only herself didn't look very good. She had that scar.   
  
The hair - well, even when she spent all night slaying,  
  
she made sure her hair was neat.   
  
"Xander? What's going on? I have to get to the library,  
  
but tell me on the way."  
  
-----  
  
At the school, the group was growing larger. Two Buffys, two Willows, Xander, Jesse, Faith, Giles, and approaching them were three more vampires. Giles, Wesley, and Xander. Vamp Xander looked hungrily at Jesse.   
  
"Hey big boy, how's about a little nibble?"  
  
Faith stepped forward. "Try it."  
  
Willow shook her head and spoke. "Friends and foe unite, troubles vanish in the night."  
  
The vampire that was Xander made a lunge for Faith and stopped midair. He seemed to realize that he couldn't harm these people. "Ok. Ok. I can wait."  
  
Willow walked to the front of the group.  
  
"Jesse! It's good to see you. Ok, people. This is Chaos."  
  
Xander looked around. "Tell me about it."  
  
"No. Chaos. Our worlds don't exist any more. Somehow we've merged and become one. We're coexisting. And as good as it is to see some of you again, this is a bad thing. We've merged, but reality is deteriorating. It's being eaten away. I think everyone of us here wants one of the others dead, but right now, we'll all die unless we work together. There's a book-"  
  
"In the library. Yes, Realities of Cosmic Theories." Giles removed his glasses and cleaned them before putting them back on his face. I was actually on my way here to look for it. I don't know if we can find it in there, though."  
  
"We'll find it." The two Buffy's looked at each other, having spoken together.  
  
------  
  
"I forbid it," said the Clown. He reached out for the hole, but this time he wasn't able to feel it. He couldn't touch it.  
  
-----  
  
"That's why I felt like my brain was being pulled out of my head?"   
  
Vamp Willow stood up straight. She turned to Price. "Damn, I thought you were a smart one. The must have breeded you bad over here. Yes. Y-E-S. That's why."  
  
The vampire version of Giles called out. "I have it."  
  
Again, the group came together.   
  
Willow held out her hand. "Let me see."  
  
"I don't think so. In fact, I think I'd rather hold onto it."  
  
"Foes undone, it's one for one."  
  
Willow turned and stared at the vampire counterpart.   
  
"What's wrong, Red? Did you really think I wouldn't get involved in the arts after seeing what you could do in your world? We-" She gestured to the other three vampires in the group, who were standing behind all the others "- like it this way. It seems to work in our favor."  
  
Before Willow could answer, they heard a moan. Everyone turned to see Vamp Xander with his teeth in Jesse's neck. Just as quickly, he pulled Jesse up and made him drink. Then he dropped him to the ground.  
  
Faith leapt. "You dead bastard!"  
  
In an instant, the dead were in battle with the undead. The battle went on and on. One blow for another, no one giving up, no one falling. Trading a kick for a punch. In the turmoil, no one noticed Jesse raise from the ground.  
  
He saw undead Giles losing quickly to dead Giles. He moved to assist and hopefully feed.   
  
Faith jumped over the hunched down Buffy. As she landed and tapped Wesley on the back, Buffy stood up and staked the vampire. Across the room, the other Buffy motioned to Willow that they had one less to worry about.  
  
Jesse noticed them and started in their direction instead. He never saw Faith coming. As the stake drove through his heart, he turned his head to look at her. He saw a tear and heard her voice before he turned to dust.  
  
"I'm sorry. I promised. I love you J." With the fight raging around her, she fell to the ground and cried. "I'm sorry, I wish I could change it all."  
  
She heard an unfamiliar voice. She looked up to see a demon standing in front of her.  
  
"Tell me what you wish. Just say it and it's yours."  
  
-----  
  
The Clown looked. Maybe this wasn't bad after all. 


	6. Chapter 6

Title - Three in One Pt.6  
  
Summary - Something has started playing. Buffy and  
  
friends meet...Buffy...and friends...and more friends?  
  
Author (and feedback) - memarkw@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer - The following work is based entirely on  
  
characters by Joss Whedon and whomever he has shared the  
  
fortune with. The idea comes from a Star Trek:TNG novel,  
  
Q-Squared by Peter David, and a challenge from Jenn. I  
  
make no profit whatsoever from this and do it only for my  
  
own satisfaction.  
  
Spoilers - Makes references to events of seasons past, but  
  
no major spoilers involved.  
  
Rating - PG  
  
====================================  
  
Previously -   
  
Jesse noticed them and started in their direction instead.  
  
He never saw Faith coming. As the stake drove through his  
  
heart, he turned his head to look at her. He saw a tear  
  
and heard her voice before he turned to dust.  
  
"I'm sorry. I promised. I love you J." With the fight  
  
raging around her, she fell to the ground and cried. "I'm  
  
sorry, I wish I could change it all."  
  
She heard an unfamiliar voice. She looked up to see a  
  
demon standing in front of her.  
  
"Tell me what you wish. Just say it and it's yours."  
  
===========================================  
  
CHAOS  
  
Willow heard the voice and turned her head. She saw Faith  
  
about to say something to the vengeance demon. "Faith!   
  
Don't say a word!"  
  
Faith, still in tears, didn't know why, but she heeded  
  
Willow's warning and kept her mouth shut.  
  
Anyanka turned and looked at Willow. "I think not, Witch.  
  
Another time."  
  
Willow gestured towards the sky with both hands. She felt  
  
an energy surging through her. She heard voices in her  
  
head. *your shirt you're a goddess softer side of sears  
  
rank arrogant amateur you can undo it red what are we  
  
going to do now Buffy osiris hear me bored now*  
  
She whispered. "Chaos stilled." Around her everything  
  
froze in place and time. Everything. She saw one of the  
  
Giles suspended midair, the result of a powerful blow.   
  
Jesse's ashes had begun to drift away and were stopped.   
  
Nothing moved. She walked to the demon who had caused it  
  
all.  
  
"Anyanka bound, speak."  
  
The thing came to life but was unable to move. She looked  
  
at Willow. "You. I should have known. Will you really  
  
seek a vengeance against me for fulfilling your wish?"  
  
"What wish?"  
  
Anyanka looked closer at Willow. "You really don't know."  
  
"No, I really don't."  
  
"For the one all powerful, you really aren't that bright."  
  
The description startled Willow. The one all powerful.   
  
She didn't let it show. "The one all powerful, as you  
  
like to call me, is about to wipe you out of existence. I  
  
want this crap undone."  
  
"Oh, so sorry. You don't have that kind of power. You  
  
had your wish."  
  
"Stop saying that! I never wished for this."  
  
"Maybe you didn't, but another you did and I'm surprised  
  
you don't see it."  
  
Willow closed her eyes. She couldn't sense anything. She  
  
tried harder. She saw a clown for just a moment but the  
  
image faded. Trying again, she concentrated on the image  
  
she had seen and it became clear. What kind of world  
  
existed where she would ever wish this on anyone?  
  
"I want it undone."  
  
"And you don't have a wish coming."  
  
Willow turned towards Faith and made a brushing gesture  
  
with her hand. Faith turned towards the two of them.   
  
"Willow?"  
  
"Faith, listen carefully. Don't say anything except what  
  
I tell you to say. Do you understand?"  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
"Look this...thing... in the eye and tell it that you wish  
  
that I was face to face with The Clown."  
  
Faith opened her mouth to question Willow. There was so  
  
much she could wish for. All she wanted was Jesse back.   
  
But she understood that this was important. She knew that  
  
Willow could make this all right, put things the way they  
  
were. The thing was, there was something she needed to  
  
have changed. Something small. She looked at the demon.  
  
"I wish that Willow and I were face to face with The  
  
Clown."  
  
Both women gripped their heads and fell to their knees.   
  
When they were able to stand, they saw in front of them a  
  
rift of sorts - an anomaly? And standing beside the  
  
anomaly was a Clown. It opened its' mouth to protest, but  
  
Willow stopped it with a wave of her hand.  
  
Anyanka vanished.  
  
Willow looked at Faith. "I can't do that."  
  
"You don't know-"  
  
"I do know, and I can't. It will alter my reality."  
  
"Willow, it's the only way I'll let this happen. Deny me  
  
and you've wronged me. In my heart, that would be a wrong  
  
worth some big vengeance. I don't like this mess and I  
  
don't like my life. I'm willing to go back to my life  
  
though. but only if you do this. Otherwise, I'll make it  
  
worse."  
  
The witch sighed. "Ok. Fine." She walked towards The  
  
Clown until they were nose to nose and waved her hand  
  
again.  
  
The Clown was startled. This creature dared confront  
  
him?! It would teach it a thing or two. It tried to will  
  
her away, but was unable to do so. Again, for the second  
  
time in his existence, it felt dread.  
  
"You can NOT do this to me. You are nothing. I am-"  
  
"You're a clown."  
  
"I am-"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
The Clown shut up.  
  
"I don't know why or how, but with all the power I've ever  
  
had, or will ever have, I can do things. I can control  
  
you here and now. I can erase YOUR existence. You will  
  
never have existed. Do you understand."  
  
It did and nodded to show so.  
  
"But - and this is the part I don't understand, nor do I  
  
really need to - But, for some reason, I can't fix this  
  
mess. I can't undo what you've done. Neither could the  
  
vengeance demon. I could feel it. You can, and I want it  
  
undone."  
  
"No." It reached out and with all his might, tore the  
  
rift as large as it would tear.  
  
Willow closed her eyes and saw people - millions and  
  
millions of people - dying, merging into the same  
  
existence, killing each other. She did the first thing  
  
her body told her to do. She did what Glory had done to  
  
Tara. She put her hands in The Clown's head. The Clown  
  
shrieked in agony. It had never experienced pain of any  
  
sort and here this mere mortal was with her physical body,  
  
intruding on it's existence, its' being!  
  
Willow leaned forward the little more that she could until  
  
she was lip to lip with The Clown. She started to  
  
whisper.   
  
A tear fell from an eye of The Clown. It nodded.  
  
==============================================  
  
THE WORSE  
  
THE BAD  
  
THE GOOD  
  
Dawn was sitting on her bed when she felt it and she fell  
  
backwards. She wanted to open her door and run from the  
  
house! She could hear people crying, people screaming,  
  
buildings falling. Then it stopped.  
  
=================================================  
  
CHAOS  
  
The Clown was alone once more. Maybe it had been alone  
  
the whole time. It snapped its' fingers and the rift  
  
sealed itself. It felt a dull ache in its' head and  
  
wondered what could ever have caused that? 


End file.
